MACCLESFIELD'S new power-house striker Neil Ross is itching to get off the bench and on to the pitch.

The 20-year-old, 12-stone, 6ft 2ins athlete has spent nearly all this season kicking his heels behind Luke Beckett and Ben Burgess on the Edgeley Park lay-by and has moved the ten miles to country cousins Macclesfield to get some first-team experience.

Neil said: "This is very much a key moment in my career.

"I have been on the bench all season at Stockport, but now I've got the chance to play first team football.

"All I want is to play more games than I would have done at Stockport.

"It has been very difficult. Luke has scored 20 goals this year and when the manager bought Ben Burgess, John Daly and I knew we were just falling further behind in the queue.

"I had to sit and wait for my time to come around.

"When I got the chance I scored against Wycombe and thought I had done OK against Plymouth in the Cup, but the manager obviously thought differently.

"Obviously Carlton Palmer knows what he is doing, just look where he's played and for how long.

Difficult

"I think it's been difficult for him coming to a small club like Stockport, but now I feel he is getting the team he wants and Stockport will do well."

He added: "He was looking after me and I feel he had my best interests at heart.

"He said I had a new contract if I wanted it at Stockport, but advised me it would be better at my age to get first-team football and he thought I'd get that at Macclesfield."

Neil, born in West Bromwich and a former Leeds United scholar, continued: "I know the new gaffer from his days at Stockport and know he likes to get the ball on the ground and pass it so I thought it would be a good place to come."

He added: "Macc have got a small squad but there are a lot of good ball players and I believe I will be able to add something to the team.

"I can either be used as a target man, or get in behind defences and score goals.

"I scored nine in my last nine reserve team games for Stockport and just want the chance to prove myself on a bigger stage.

"I don't want to do the manager's job and I don't know how he intends to play me.

"But in the long term I think I will probably partner Matthew Tipton, and I am looking forward to getting an understanding with him."